Fuel Injector cleaning mishap

[Kool4Kats]

Hi Folks,

I have a 98 RT-10 which I brought to a non-dealer for plugs and wires. I usually go to a dealer. The shop, which is a huge chain, talked me into an injector cleaning. They claim they have done hundres of these. Not on a Viper I bet. In any event, the chemical added to the fuel caused the engine to super heat. This resulted in the pipes getting very hot and burning the paint on the pipes. The paint on the engine is bubled as is part of the hood. The insurance for the shop is looking at it now.

My question is what else should be looked at to see if it was damaged? Should the engine be torn apart? Can the catalytic converters go bad as a result of this? The vehicle appears to drive normally so far.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[plumcrazy]

sounds like they over heated the engine bad. i call BS

cats going bad may have caused this. but wont know till a real viper tech checks it out.

who is this "viper tech?

make sure to get pics and documentation of this.

 

[happy]

that deff sounds like the cats are plugged solid!!! Sounds like maby the stuff they used when it finished going through the motor coming out of the exhaust plugged up the cats just a guess?? And maby they just kept reving it and reving it then she deff would have got super hot!!Ive seen lots of people use the seafoam and the stuff is excellent but iv also seen alot of people screw up there cats, what ever is in it just seems to plug the cats.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Don't drive it until you cut your cats out!!! Get a lawyer too.

 

[Kool4Kats]

Thanks for the info. It was Monro Muffler. They're fairly popular in NH. I did drive it to the body shop. Won't drive it again till this is resolved. I have to admit that aside from the day that I bought it in 1998, today was the first day I was afraid to drive it. Didn't know what to expect.

Monro's insurance company tried to insinuate that maybe it was the car's fault. They want the dealer to pull the codes out of the engine. A lawyer sounds like a good idea. Thanks.

 

[Martin]

Don't drive it until you have it completely inspected and all damage documented. Can't overstate that. Once you know there is a problem (you know there is), you have to be 'prudent' in avoiding further damage. If you continue to drive it, and you get into a lawsuit with them, it could be messy if they decide to say that you did further damage to it after you realized the original damage happened. Where you draw the line between what they did and what you did could be argued forever... Just don't go there - bring it to a reputable shop and let them sit on it till you get this sorted out.

 

[Qualitywires.com]

Sounds like they put your wires on wrong if they changed out the spark plug wires. That will cause your cats to get hot by dumping raw fuel in your exhaust system.

 

[Bandit3]

Since fuel itself is a cleaner, cleaning of the injectors is just a way for a franchise type of company to make a little more profit. Waste of time and your money. Ask here before listening to the sales people at these places. Remeber this--the guy you talk to at the counter is working on commission, he will sell you anything to make a buck.

 

[HollywoodGTS]

You may what to pull the plugs out and see if the gapping is right on it as well. Sorry to hear about your misfortune.

 

[Olddudesrule]

Don't drive it until you have it completely inspected and all damage documented. Can't overstate that. Once you know there is a problem (you know there is), you have to be 'prudent' in avoiding further damage. If you continue to drive it, and you get into a lawsuit with them, it could be messy if they decide to say that you did further damage to it after you realized the original damage happened. Where you draw the line between what they did and what you did could be argued forever... Just don't go there - bring it to a reputable shop and let them sit on it till you get this sorted out.

Follow his advise!!!! You know there's an issue, have it inspected by a CERTIFIED VIPER TECH! Best of luck...

 

[Kool4Kats]

*****Update*****

I just got off the phone with Dodge. They say that both Cats and sill pkgs need to be replaced. Total cost just for cats and sills.....$16,961.40....Holy crap! The insurance for the dealer is pissed. Add to that my desire to have the car repainted at $10,000 and we are into some money. I won't settle for a partial paint job. My Viper hasn't give me a bit of trouble up until this incident. I didn't realize Viper ownership was so expensive....(-;

 

[Roy]

it doesn't add anything, but you're engine doesn't run hot on adding some injectorcleaner, they definitely messed something else up I guess. Sounds like a big mess, hope you walk away with some new cats, sills and a nice and fresh paintjob...

Isn't the engine itself possibly damaged?

 

[Kool4Kats]

Dodge did compression checks and every other test that they could. The engine is fine, thank God, otherwise the car would be close to a total loss.

 

[plumcrazy]

id have a bore scope sent down the cylinders to make sure.

hope it all works out for ya

 

[Martin]

Make sure they let you keep the original sills. They're EXPENSIVE and I'll bet they aren't totally toasted. You could probably repair them - or sell them for a decent price even if they're damaged.

 

[WOT!]

What about diminished value due to paint job?

Be very careful with the insurance company. They will most likely call you and ask if they can record the call. Just don't talk to them. Have them call a dealer, lawyer, or see the report for all the information they need. Remember, you are not the expert, just an customer w/o his car.

Good luck, and let us NH owners know if we can help.

 

[plumcrazy]

JonB can help with these kinds of issues as well. he's helped a lot of guys with insurance companies

 

[hemihead]

$16k for sills and cats! Holy smokes!
How about taking the cash ($16K plus paint), buying a sent of Random Techs or Roe cats for $450 - $500, spend another $2,000 - $3,000 (guessing) on a set of used sills from X Vipers. Get the whole car painted in a nice new $10 K paint job and put the balance in your pocket for your trouble.

 

[Roy]

$16k for sills and cats! Holy smokes!
How about taking the cash ($16K plus paint), buying a sent of Random Techs or Roe cats for $450 - $500, spend another $2,000 - $3,000 (guessing) on a set of used sills from X Vipers. Get the whole car painted in a nice new $10 K paint job and put the balance in your pocket for your trouble.

Yes that's a good one! I don't know how it works in America, but here you can, after the total damage has been calculated, choose to let the insurance pay the repaircompany or take the money yourself. In this case I would always take the money, those sills are good repairable, or replacable with non OEM's, which are cheaper, same goes for the cats and stuff... I think you can earn some money on this one.
Just make sure you repair the car as new, so you don't get annoyed all the time about it!